Rejoice: Celebrating the Season of AdventSample

Salvation from Our Enemies

Read: Luke 1:68-75; Zechariah 3:1-4; Hebrews 2:14-18

SOAP: Luke 1:74

“that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,

may serve him without fear,”

Into the Text

Zechariah was a faithful Jew who believed all the covenant promises made by God in the Old Testament. He knew that the Messiah was coming to rescue His people from their enemies. What he did not yet understand was that the redemption which Jesus would bring at his first coming was not from the Romans or any other human government. He was coming to deliver His people from their real enemies: Satan, sin, and death.

When Satan was tempting Jesus in the desert, showing him all the kingdoms of the world and proclaiming that he was their owner, Jesus did not contradict him. Paul speaks of the devil as the “god of this age” (2 Corinthians 4:4). We have all felt something of the devil’s evil rule in our own lives, families, and societies. Even when people want to be honest, loving, caring, and able to break free from the power of darkness, they can’t. We can’t due to our sinful nature and the enemy’s influence. We need a Savior, a Rescuer.

How did Jesus redeem us from the power of Satan? He came to deal with our sin. By carrying it to the cross, Jesus has removed it forever. Being unable to accuse, Satan has now lost his power over those who come to Jesus for refuge. We are safe and secure in the arms of Christ when we place our faith in Him. God has “delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:13-14)

Jesus not only forgives those who trust in Him, but changes us, giving us the power to live righteous lives. We ourselves can’t break the chains of our selfishness, bad attitudes, or destructive behavior, but Jesus can. He is strong enough to free us from anything that still holds us in bondage. When we go to him in faith and ask Him for forgiveness and deliverance from sin, He will answer. He wants to fill us with His love so that we can live fully surrendered to His will and way as well as live selflessly for other people. Our enemy trembles when we pray like this.

As Zechariah sings, Jesus has come to redeem us so that we can serve God in holiness.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for dealing with my sin by carrying it to the cross. Thank you for forgiving me, for delivering me, and for continuing your work of sanctification in me. Amen.